Edition 37

Welcome to the Soccer Newsletter. Today's subject is shielding the ball.

Shielding is a very simple concept but something that is done very poorly by most of the youth players I see play.

First, lets define what shielding actually entails.  It's using your body to keep the ball away from the opponent. It can be misconstrued as obstruction however, the difference is that shielding is done within playing difference from the ball.

One of the keys to being an effective shielder (is that really a term??) is to position your body properly between the defender and the ball. Too many players think that standing with their back to the defender and between the ball and the defender is doing the job properly. However, this is not an effective way to shield. It is too easy for the defender to poke the
ball away from the player from this post ion either by sticking their leg between the shielders leg or by poking around the shielder. Instead of this position, the player should assume a side on position. This means that instead of having the back to the defender, the shielder should have their width of the body between the defender and the ball. This means the shielders shoulder should be up against the defender and the only way for the defender to get to the ball, she must go through the shielders entire width of her body to get to the ball. This will make it much more difficult for the defender to get to the ball.

Once she has positioned herself properly by being side on to the defender, she must now start to use her arms properly to shield. The arm closest to the defender should be slightly bent and used to ward off the defender (note I am not saying to push the defender away with an outstretched arm as that would be against the rules and easily seen). By using this arm properly, the shielder can build even more space between the defender and the ball.

Next it is important to maintain a low base while shielding. This means getting a nice bend from the knees and a slight bend from the waist. By doing this, the shielder accomplishes two things. First, she makes herself even wider which puts even more space between the defender and the ball. Second, it lowers her center of gravity which will make her harder to get knocked off of the ball.

Having assumed the proper position, started to use the arms properly and taken a low stance, you are now ready to start shielding properly. One of the mistakes made by players while shielding is to allow the ball to get between the legs which makes the ball vulnerable to a poke tackle. Keep possession of the ball with the outside of the foot furthest from the defender and be prepared to cut the ball in either direction. From here, shielding becomes a matter of footwork and desire. Keep your feet moving and make the decision to not lose
possession of the ball.

To practice shielding, have ten second battles for the ball where the person who has the ball at the end of a ten second battle gets a point. Play 20 times and the players will have a better understanding of the physical side of soccer as well as the conditioning and amount of contact that takes place in a game of soccer.

The archives for both the Goalkeeping Newsletter and the Soccer Newsletter have been updated and are currently up to date. Check them out at http://finesoccer.com.

I have to make a decision regarding the FineSoccer Forum. While there have been some interesting posts and I believe some helpful information provided, there has not been as much people visiting it as I would have hoped. Please let me know whether you want to see it continue to exist by either posting to the forum at http://finesoccer.com/forum.htm.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, you can e-mail me at comment-@finesoccer.com

Have a great day.

Lawrence